"Asking Questions Matters More Than Getting Answers from AI"... University Admissions Evaluation Must Change, Too

Oct. 26: 21st Humanities Week Commemorative Seminar
Humanity in the AI Era... "How Should We Ask Questions?"
A Deep Understanding of Humanity and Personal Experience Are Key

"Education that asks students to 'choose one of five options explaining what “Nim” means in The Silence of My Love' is cutting off the branches of creativity in their minds with pruning shears."

Poet Hwang Jiwoo said, "Questions with open endings, and answers that are unexpected and rare rather than trite and obvious—this kind of 'divergent thinking' can distinguish humanity from artificial intelligence (AI) in the AI era." He made the remarks in this context.

At the 21st Humanities Week Commemorative Seminar, titled "The Humanities That Ask Questions in the AI Era," held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on October 26, participants discussed the capabilities people need in the AI era and how education systems should change. They emphasized that as AI takes over knowledge searches and problem-solving, the ability to formulate questions and exercise independent judgment has become more important for people. They agreed that education must move beyond its focus on correct answers and help students develop the ability to ask questions and make judgments for themselves.

Yonhap News

During the day's keynote discussion, participants debated what it means to be human in the AI era. Kim Gihyun, a visiting professor at UNIST's Novatus Graduate School, said the humanities, which had been sidelined for some time, are once again drawing attention as the AI era takes hold. As AI rapidly advances its problem-solving capabilities, he said, "how to ask questions" has become more important for people. "It's not simply a matter of asking many questions. We need to be able to ask questions that are 'relevant' to human life, values and aspirations," Kim said. He explained that this requires a deep understanding of humanity. He added that this is also why the humanities, which were sidelined after the Industrial Revolution, are being reassessed in the AI era.

Hong Jinki, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Yonsei University, emphasized that the ability to ask good questions must be grounded in firsthand experience. "I think we need to develop a sense of humanity that comes from experiencing things firsthand, forming our own standards, and using them to make judgments and take responsibility," Hong said. He also described how, in writing and research materials submitted by graduate students recently, students' distinctive writing styles and thought processes have become increasingly difficult to discern. "When AI is used, the final product may be polished, but the process of thinking things through and learning through trial and error can be skipped," he said.

Some argued that university admissions must also change to adapt education to the shifts taking place in the AI era. Wi Haengbok, honorary chair of the Korean Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences, said, "High schools should reduce the emphasis on absorbing knowledge through memorization and help students develop the ability to identify and solve problems on their own." He added, "To do that, university admissions should, to some extent, incorporate methods of assessing students' ability to construct arguments."

Meanwhile, Education Minister Choi Kyojin and Cha Jeongin, chair of the National Education Commission, delivered congratulatory remarks at the event.

Minister Choi said, "The humanities help cultivate the power to ask questions," adding, "We will provide full support for the promotion of the humanities."

Chair Cha also said, "It is time to develop a strategy to make our country a leader in the humanities and culture," adding, "Reading and writing, discussion, and argumentation should be strengthened as core elements of liberal arts education."

The Ministry of Education and the Korean Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences will hold Humanities Week events through November 11. Through 190 or so programs organized by 18 humanities-related institutions across the country, they will explore changes in humanities education and the direction of national humanities policy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.